What do you do to try and get your kids to eat their meals?

1. Bribe them – check
2. Threaten them – check
3. Make kid-friendly, fun and healthy meals that they should love – check
4. Put ketchup all over their food – check
5. Involve them in the food preparation – check
6. Do a dance every time they take a bite – check
7. Make a menu with your healthy options and let them place their order -check

I think I have honestly done it all. I even made this book for Kesara the other day titled, The Girl Who Couldn’t Eat Good because that is what her excuse is nearly every day. She takes so long to eat that we are all always done before her. Even the kitchen clean up is done while she still sits there and we all move on with our day. She sits in the kitchen crying out, “I can’t eat good!” 

Here is my story. I even drew my own crappy pictures!

The Girl Who Couldn’t Eat Good

Once upon a time there was a little girl who couldn’t eat good. Every morning when her family would sit down to their breakfast of oatmeal and fruit, they would all gobble up their bowls and the girl who couldn’t eat good would be the last one at the table.

Everyone else would go about their day, but the girl who couldn’t eat good just sat at the table and complained, “I can’t eat good!”

It wasn’t always like this, when the little girl was smaller she used to get away with not having to finish her meals or she could often convince her parents to feed her, especially her daddy.

But now that the little girl was getting bigger, she had to eat her meals and she even had to feed herself.The little girl did not like this because she truly believed that she couldn’t eat good.

So the little girl sat there all morning. Sometimes she would sing a song to feel less lonely.

Sometimes she would play with her vitamin, but if anyone came around she would say, “I can’t eat good” and pretend to be sad in hopes that someone, anyone would feed her.

When mommy would make her extra yummy suppers that seemed different to the little girl, she would say “I can’t eat good” because she knew that if she said that then she wouldn’t have to try them. She thought that if she complained and whined enough that her parents would give up trying to make her eat.

One day the mommy made one of her extra yummy suppers. It looked strange to the little girl, but it also looked yummy too. It had everything that the little girl loved in it, rice, beans, even taco chips! Everyone seemed to like the supper. Even her sister ate it right up and even got a halloween treat afterwards.

But the little girl who couldn’t eat good just sat there and wouldn’t take a bite.

The next evening, mommy made another supper for the family. This supper was a stir-fry. It had all of the little girl’s favorite vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and peppers. It even had a sweet maple syrup sauce and was served with rice! It looked yummy. It smelled yummy. Still, the little girl just sat there.

As usual, everyone finished the yummy supper and the little girl was left with her plate in front of her. Daddy went to the computer. Mommy started her yoga. Her sister went to color.

The little girl looked down at her plate and when nobody was looking, she took a bite.

The little girl was amazed! The broccoli was delicious! She took another bite, this time of a carrot. Then she ate a pepper and a big bite of rice. The supper really was yummy. She especially loved the maple syrup sauce.

For the first time, the little girl ate her whole plate all by herself! She liked her supper so much that she forgot that she couldn’t eat good.

When her mom turned around and saw the little girl’s plate was empty, she was shocked! “Did you eat your whole supper all by yourself?” she asked.

The little girl nodded and was proud that she actually could eat good. Her mom and dad were proud too.

After that, the little girl always ate her breakfasts, lunches and suppers. She enjoyed them too and sometimes even got treats when she finished her whole plate. The best part was that she always got to go and play instead of sit at the table by herself.

And that is the story of the girl who indeed could eat good.

THE END.

When I read her this story she asked, “Is that me?” I said “No, that is the girl that couldn’t eat good.” When we continued to read she asked, “Is that you and daddy?” I said, “No, that is the girl who couldn’t eat good’s mommy and daddy.” When she saw the sister she asked, “Is that Autumn?” “No, that is the girl who couldn’t eat good’s sister.”

Sneaky mom.

How sad is it that it has come to this? I know she is doing it for the attention, but I wish that she wouldn’t. I also know that this too shall pass. In fact it has been getting better since I wrote this story. Both the girls love this story and when we shared it with my parents my dad said I should consider publishing children’s stories.

It was fun to write this little story and it has helped. I think I will be writing more. There are so many titles floating in my head now. For Autumn, The Girl Who Always Forgot To Flush, The Girl Who Hated Tomatoes But Loved Ketchup and The Girl Who Couldn’t Hear Good. For myself The Imperfectly Perfect Mother. So many possibilities!

Ah, yes, life is interesting around here.

Never a dull moment I tell you!